Choosing a school? Youāve got options.
Education is a big decision; after all, it has a huge impact on your childās future. Fortunately, Maine families have access to several school choice options. Understanding and navigating these options can help you find a school where your childās personality and talents are nurtured. This post will explain the types of schools available in Maine, as well as provide additional education resources.
In Maine, families can choose fromĀ traditional public schools,Ā public charter schools,Ā public magnet schools,Ā private schools,Ā online learning,Ā homeschooling, andĀ microschooling and mix-and-match learning.
One factor that parents consider then choosing a school for their child is transportation. In Maine, transportation is available for students who attend their zoned public school, transfer to a public school in a different school district because their assigned district does not have a school for their grade, attend a public charter school and live within the designated area, or have transportation services in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Transportation may be available for other types of schools – visit our transportation guide to find out more.
Looking for special education options? You can learn what special education services are available in Maine at theĀ Ultimate Guide to Special Education.
Widely
Available
Traditional Public Schools
Private Schools
Online Learning
Homeschooling
Microschooling
Partially
Available
Public School Transfers
Public Charter Schools
Public Magnet Schools
State Choice Funding
Download the School Choice Snapshot for Maine
Click a School Type to See Your Options
Traditional Public School
Free public school based on your address or zone
Public Charter School
Free public schools open to all students run by an independent board of directors
Homeschool
School that takes place in your own home
Online Learning
Schools where students attend virtually, can be free public or private schools
Microschool
School that takes place with a small group of students
Maine Traditional Public Schools
Most children (84.3%) in Maine attend traditional public schools. Traditional public schools are free to attend, open to all students, operated by schoolĀ districts, and funded by taxpayers like you.Ā Did you know that Maine spends an average ofĀ $17,671 per public school student each year?
Open enrollment is an important form of public school choice; it refers to whether you can send your child to a public school other than the one you are assigned to. In Maine, the state allows districts to set their own open enrollment policies. So, Maine parents should check with their district if they would like to transfer their child to a different public school. For instance,Ā Portland Public Schools DistrictĀ only allows families to choose a school āout of neighborhoodā in a few circumstances, such as when there has been documented harassment at the assigned school.
If the reason for a family participating in open enrollment in another district is because their assigned district does not offer a school for their grade level,Ā their district provides transportation. In other situations, the parents are responsible for transportation.
Find out more about public schools in your state at theĀ Maine Department of Education.Ā You can also learn more about Maine open enrollment at āPublic Schools Without Boundaries: A 50 State Ranking.ā
Maine Charter Schools
You can also choose charters! Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that have extra freedom to innovate with curriculum and learning methods. As of 2025, more than 2,700 students in Maine attend a charter school.
Each school has a charter which explains the schoolās purpose and what specific community need it serves, whether that be providing aĀ language immersion programĀ or offering a rigorous, literacy-based curriculum. If there are more families seeking admittance to a charter school than there are seats, a lottery system usually determines admittance.
Under Maine law, only 10 charter schools are currently able to operate in the state due to aĀ charter school cap. Maineās 10th charter school,Ā The Ecology Learning Center, opened in 2020.
Free transportation is available to all students who attend charter schools in Maine and live within where their charter schools are located. Transportation assistance may available for students out-of-district. Students with special needs who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and students facing homelessness are eligible to receive transportation assistance.
For more information on charter schools in your state, check out theĀ MaineĀ Charter School Commission.
Maine Magnet Schools
Magnet schools are free public schools that allow kids to focus on specific themes, like science or the performing arts.Ā There is currently at least one operating magnet school servingĀ 0.1% of the K-12 student populationĀ in Maine.Ā The Maine School of Science and Mathematics was recently ranked the second-best public high school in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
In previous years, the state also had a public magnet school geared toward studying marine science, technology, transportation, and engineering:Ā The Maine Ocean School. However, as of 2022, the Maine Ocean School has transitionedĀ into an educational program-based model rather than a full-time magnet school.Ā If you live near Maineās magnet school, your child may be able to attend it rather than their public neighborhood school.
Maine Private Schools
Families in Maine can also consider private schools, nonpublic schools that charge tuition. Private schools may offer a uniqueĀ curriculum, smaller class sizes, or a faith-based tradition. Maineās private schools come in all shapes and forms, from religious schools to schools designed for children with special needs.
There are aboutĀ 160Ā private schools across the state of Maine. The average tuition for private schools in the state isĀ $17,972Ā for elementary schools andĀ $28,863 for high schools.
Education Funding Opportunities:
Maine has the nationās second oldest school choice program, enacted in 1873. ThroughĀ Maineās Town Tuitioning Program, students who live in towns without a public school can receive funding to attend private schools in other communities. You can find anĀ interactive map of Maineās town tuition choicesĀ at the Maine Policy Institute.
InĀ 2022, the Supreme Court ruled inĀ Carson v. MakinĀ that Maineās town tuitioning program cannot exclude religious private schools from the options parents can choose through the program.Ā However, currentlyĀ only one religious school was approved to participate.
Families can also inquire into whether private scholarships are available, such as through theĀ Maine Childrenās Scholarship Fund.Ā Currently,Ā 2.1% of all K-12 studentsĀ are participating in a private school scholarship program.
Learn more at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland,Ā Maine Community Foundation, and Private School Review: Maine.
Maine Online Learning
Online learning offers a uniquely flexible learning environment that meets a variety of family needs. Maybe your child wants to accelerate learning or maybe they need a quieter environment in which to focus. Either way, you may be interested in giving virtual school a try.
Maine students can attend free, full-time online school programs through one of two online public charter schools:Ā Maine Connections AcademyĀ orĀ Maine Virtual Academy. Both schools have enrollment caps and only serve students in grades 7-12.
Additionally, some Maine districts offer online and blended options, such as Portland Public Schoolsā Virtual Scholars program and Bangor Townshipās Virtual School.
For highschoolers, there are a few more online options. The University of Maine at Fort Kent offersĀ Rural U, a free, part-time early college program open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, including homeschool students.Ā The University alsoĀ runs a programĀ allowing public school students statewide to take onlineĀ Advanced PlacementĀ classes for free.Ā Finally, Maine students in grades 11-12 can take early college courses for free throughĀ University of Maineās Academ-e.
To read more about online learning in Maine, check out theĀ Digital Learning Collaborativeās state profile.
Maine Homeschooling
Another option for Maine families is homeschooling, the process of parents educating students at home. Families in all 50 states can homeschool! As of 2025, aboutĀ 5.5%Ā of all Maine K-12 students choose homeschooling.
Homeschooling Requirements:
In Maine, notice of your intent to homeschool is required within 10 days of starting and annually by September 1. It is recommended that you formally withdraw from your current school so your student is not marked truant. In the case that you decide to return to public school, grade level placement is a decision that the local school makes; however, you can appeal this decision if necessary.
The state requires homeschooling parents toĀ teach specific subjects (like math, English, and science), and also requires some level of assessment of homeschooled students.Ā Note that your homeschooled student might still be eligible to participate in sports or activities at your local public school.
If you are looking for extra customization and flexibility for your childās education and think homeschooling could fit the bill, find out more aboutĀ Maineās homeschooling rules at the Home School Legal Defense Association. You may also wish to check out theĀ Maine Department of Educationās home instruction page or the Maine Home Education Alliance.
Maine Microschools and Mix-and-Match Learning
Today, some Maine families are mixing and matching school options to come up with new ways to personalize education.Ā MicroschoolsĀ are one of these ways. A microschool refers to students gathering together in a small group ā with adult supervision ā to learn, explore, and socialize. Microschools can take a variety of shapes and legal forms, from homeschoolers coming together at an enrichment center to a private school committed to small classrooms. What microschools share in common is a commitment to small-group learning and close-knit relationships, along with an emphasis on children as individual learners.
Examples of microschools and related resources in Maine:
- With small group classes and multi-age learning,Ā Roots AcademyĀ in Cape Elizabeth offers a āplace-based, child-led, play-inspired approachā to education.
- TheĀ Village Nest CooperativeĀ in Eliot offers a full-time K-3 forestry microschool.
Note that learning support groups for students formally enrolled in a school may require licensesĀ in Maine if instruction is compensated and there are more than three students in addition to any children living in the home.
Remember, microschooling is more a mentality than a specific legal distinction in most cases. Often, a family participates in a microschool while legally homeschooling, or being enrolled in a private or online school.
Share This Page On:
Discover More
Showing 25 of 16 total results
State Funding Available
State Funding Available
Sign Up To Learn More About School Choice in Your State
